Dental floss container



A. E. PALMER DENTAL FLOSS con'mmna mm Nov. 7. 1924 MINI-"Ill!" anwqt I whim z: 35 /us a Wm ALLISON E. PALMER, U1 WINElTED, JG ii iCU'FJ, E SEIGNOE TG BELDING BROS. & CO.

OF NEW YORK, N. 11., 1 3-. CORleUEtATLOH OF NEVT YORK.

DENTAL iiLkl-SS C'OhPJAINER.

Application filed Novein'iier 7'0 all MAO l7? 2'25 may concern:

Be it known that l, ALLISON E. PALMER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of ll insted, county ofLitchtield, and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dental Floss Containers, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to dental fioss containers, and partitular y to such containers .in which a spool or holder 01" dental floss is mounted within a lass dome, through which it may be seen, and through an opening in which the dental floss is extended, for use.

n such devices the dome has previbeen removablf. mounted by pressing its lower edge down into a shallow circular groove in the base member, in which it has been held by "friction, the material of the base on the inside of the groove pressing ag. the inside of the circular wall of the come. If this base material is somewhat resilient, such as cork, the dome will be held more or less ellectiycly in place. in actual practice, however, such devices are often unsatisfactory because the cork or ther material relied upon to effect the triction joint does not tit properly, or becomes worn, or varies for other reasons. As a result the dome will not be held tightly, and i s liable to fall oil and be broken.

in object of my invention is the provision oi? means whereby these defects will be obviated, while providing an ellicient container with a removable dome which will be positioned and firmly held to its base. Another object is the provision of such a container in which the dental floss will be attractively displayed, which container will be simple and inexpensive in construction, and in which the dome may be removably secured in position in a simple and positive manner.

it accomplish these objects by providing the base member with an upstanding annular flange which is screw-threaded on the interior, and providing the dome with an on ternal screw-thread, so that it can be screwed down inside the flange. Preferably the base member is provided with an upstanding cylindrical boss on which the spool ot dental floss is supported, so that the spool will be raised sutiiciently to enable the floss or silk to be entirely displayed through the glass, this boss being surrounded by an annular space into which the lower end caused by unequal contraction or e:; p sion or the parts upon changes in tempcraturc.

The invention consists in the construction and combination ot parts which will be more fully set forth hereinafter and which will be ln Ol invention may be more clearly attent on is hereby directed coinpanying drawings torining application and illustrating one cn'ihodin'ient ot the invention which is at ent neferreil. lln the drawings- Fig. l is a vertical section through a dental floss coi'itniner ei'iibodying the invention;

' is a horizontal section taken on line o 1, and

. 5} is a bottom plan view of the derice.

Referring to the drawings, the base member l is preferably formed of wood and has an upstanding annular tlangeQ, the outer surtazc of which is preferably formed continuous with the outer surface of the base proper. This flange is provided with an internal screw-thread, as indicateu at S.

The dome a is preferably made t glass and is provided with an opening therethrough, through which the sill: or dental floss (3 may be extended. for use and withdrawn directly trom the spool. The lower edge portion of the cylindrical wall of dome =5lis provided with an external screw-thread which is adapted to be screwed into the internal thread 3 of flange 2.

Base member 1 is provided with a seating surface for the spool 7 on which the dental floss is mounted. This seating surface preferably takes the form of a raised boss such as the cylindrical-boss 8 on which spool 7 may be mounted, this boss being surrounded by an annular space or groove 9 into which the lower end oi the vglass dome extends. Pr flier-ably the dome will screw down unti its bottom edge rests lirmly on the horizontal suri'ac: 10 forming the bottom of the annular groove or space 9. When tie spool is so mounted it will he raised high enough, hy the support 8, so that all or? the dental floss on the spool will he visible through the glass wall of dome 4. Preferably dome -l is oi h a size as to contain t e spool (pine snugly so that the pool will rotate withii'i the dome as the l is unrest-ed 'oin it, the spool guided in its I of the dome. zter sir" ice of i l tiracel e upi the tome ll an attractive innsh dome. v

it disc is shown secured to the hottom of base 1 with an overhanging edge, to form a cutter tor the dental floss (5.

lVith the structure as above described, it will be n ted that a simple and convenient form of base is provided wnich may he readily threaded on and oil in respect to the glass dome and without interference with the end of the dental floss which passes out through the aperture 5 at the upper part ot the dome and remote 'troin the base. in assembling the device, the end of the floss may he first threaded through the apertur and the spool then d opped into the dome;

thereafter the ease inen'iher may be readily screwed on without interference with the spool or floss. l -Fhen in working; position the tloss throughout the length of the spool is exposed to view through the glass dome l:y reason of the use of the support 8 which retains the spool in a position sufficiently elevated to insure this result. Furthermore, the end of the floss extends directly from the spool to the aperture through the glass and it is entirely visible at all times and comes into contact with none of the container parts other than the glass. This fact insures the sanitary condition '5 the device inasn'inch the floss comes in contact with no parts which are subject to corrosion or have irregular surfaces which might retain dust or dirt.

It is not desired to limit the invention to all oi the specific details herein dcscrihed since it will he obvious to those tilled in the art after understanding the invention that various modifications may he made without departing from the scope of the invention and l aim, therefore, in the appended claims to cover all such possible modifications.

What I claim is:

1. In a dental floss container, the combinzn tion of a base having an upstanding annuli'll flange termed with an integral screwthread, and a portion insi l t 4 v-Jhich a spool oi dental floss is adept .1. supported, and a glziss dome having an opening the lrouz h for the passage ot dental floss dnectly iroin the spool, and havingr an external screw-tln'ead about its lower ed 'e portion, adai to screw into said k to rernoi nnd the spool.

2. In a container 1'01 a spool of dental floss, the combination ot a base having an ending annular flange tori'ned with an l an nnnnlar space heit. ot said thread lass dome having an aper' through sppcr portion for the passage ot loss therethrough directly from the spool, said dome having an external screw thread about its lower edge portion adapted to SCE'GTJ into said flange and extend into said annular space, and an elevated portion within the don 1e on said base and inside said annular space on which the spool of dental :tloss is supported with the floss entirely e2:- posed to view through the glass dome.

3. In a container for a spool of dental floss, the combination of a base having an upstanding a inalar flange formed with an internal screw thread, an annular space being provided inwardly of said thread, a glass dome closely emhracinp; the spool hut permitting the spool to freely revolve therein, said dome having an aperture through its upper portion for the passage of dental floss therethrough directly from the spool and having an external screw thread ahont its lower edge portion adapted to screw into said flange and extend into said annular space, and an elevates portion within the dome on said base and inside said annular space on which the spool of dental floss is supported with the floss entirely exposed to view through the glass dome.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ALLISQN E. PALE HER. 

